Nuclear weapons test site - NUCLEAR

Novaya Zemlya, Russia
Nuclear weapons test site
From 1954 to 1990, the islands of Novaya Zemlya were used
by the Soviets to conduct atmospheric and underground nuclear tests. Decommissioned nuclear weapons and nuclear
submarines were also scuttled around the islands, turning
the entire region into an environmental disaster zone.
History
In July 1954, the two islands of Novaya Zemlya (“New
Land”) on the Russian Arctic coast were designated
a nuclear weapons test site. The indigenous Nenets
population was forcibly resettled and the islands were
divided into different testing zones. Between 1955
and 1990, Novaya Zemlya was the site of 130 nuclear detonations1, including the “Tsar Bomba,” the biggest nuclear device ever detonated, with 50 megatons
of TNT equivalent, almost 4,000 times more powerful
than the Hiroshima bomb. The “Tsar Bomba” detonation caused severe destruction of the island within a
radius of about 100 km and spread nuclear fallout all
over the Northern Hemisphere.
Between 1955 and 1990, Novaya Zemlya was the site of 130 nuclear detonations, including the “Tsar Bomba,” the biggest nuclear device ever detonated, with 50 megatons of TNT equivalent, almost 4,000 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb.
In addition, the practice of dumping nuclear waste
around the islands contributed greatly to the current
environmental catastrophe around Novaya Zemlya. Together with fallout from nuclear weapons testing and
the continuous discharge of nuclear waste from the
reprocessing plants at La Hague and Sellafield, nuclear waste dumped near Novaya Zemlya added to the
radioactive contamination of the North Sea and Arctic
Ocean. Thirteen decrepit nuclear reactors, along with
spent fuel from nuclear submarines with a total radioactivity of 37 Peta-Becquerel (Peta = quadrillion), were
dumped along the coast of Novaya Zemlya and into
the Barents and Kara seas. Two of the most contaminated sites on Novaya Zemlya are the Abrosimov and
Stepovogo Fjords in the southern part of the island.2,3
Health and environmental effects
Murmansk. The decontaminated ship “Lenin” in the background – the world’s first nuclear powered ice-breaker. In
1967, the reactor was severely damaged and, along with the spent fuel rods was scuttled off the coast of Novaya Zemlya.
Photo: © Greenpeace / John Sprange
Scientific expeditions found increased levels of cesium-137, strontium-90, cobalt-60, and plutonium-239
and -241 in sediments close to the fjords, which were
used as radioactive waste dumps.2 A 1992 Russian
study found that in 67–72 % of all underground tests,
radioactive gas had leaked through in the rock formation.4 Together with fallout from atmospheric nuclear
testing, radioactive gases from underground leaks resulted in increased levels of radiation across Europe,
most notably in Finland, where radioactive iodine-131
was measured in concentrations of up to 5 mBq/m3,
and in Norway, with cases of radioactively contaminated milk and iodine-131 concentrations of up to
1.37 megabecquerel (mBq/m3 Mega = million).2 Iodine-131 is a known cause of thyroid cancer, especially in children.
The indigenous population of the region around Novaya
Zemlya received even higher radiation doses. Most notably affected by radiation exposure were the semi-nomadic Sami people of the Arctic region and the former
inhabitants of Novaya Zemlya, the Nenets people. The
Vepsians, Karelians and Komi people, living along the
Northern Russian coast, however, were also affected.
Radioactively contaminated lichen caused high strontium levels in reindeer, which are a mainstay of the
local diet.2,5 As was the case with other indigenous
populations affected by fallout and radioactive contamination, no epidemiological studies were ever performed to assess health effects on the people living
around Novaya Zemlya.
Outlook
As Norway is only 900 km away from Novaya Zemlya,
the Norwegian government is very concerned about
the radioactive waste catastrophe taking place on and
around the islands. The Barents Sea, which is important for Norway’s fishing industry, has been severely
polluted by radioactive fallout from Novaya Zemlya and
is in constant danger of being further contaminated
by leaking radioactive waste dumps, submerged spent
nuclear fuel rods, nuclear submarine wrecks, dumped
nuclear reactors and radioactive waste from bases
and naval yards. Monitoring and management of the
huge region affected by nuclear pollution has become
an international responsibility, yet little has been done
to contain this danger up to now, let alone investigate
the long-term health effects on the local population.2
They, too, are casualties of nuclear weapons – they,
too, are Hibakusha.
References
1 “The Soviet Union’s Nuclear Testing Program.” Website of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization CTBTO,
http://ctbto.org/nuclear-testing/the-effects-of-nuclear-testing/the-soviet-unionsnuclear-testing-programme/
2 Bøhmer et al. “The Arctic Nuclear Challenge.” Bellona Report Volume 3, 2001. http://bellona.org/assets/sites/6/The_Arctic_Nuclear_Challenge.pdf
3 Koivisto K. “Nuclear Waste Storage Facility on Novaya Zemlya.” Helsinki Hufvudstads bladet, April 1, 1997. www.fas.org/news/russia/1997/drsov04021997000220.htm
4 Matzko JR. “Physical Environment of the Underground Nuclear Test Site on Novaya Zemlya, Russia.” U.S.-Department of the Interior,
Geological Survey, 1993. http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1993/0501/report.pdf
5 “Indigenous People and the Nuclear Age – USSR.” Critical Will
Radioactively contaminated lichen causes high strontium levels in reindeer, which are a dietary mainstay of the local Nenets and
Sami populations. Photo: © TOYOSAKI Hiromitsu
Hibakusha worldwide
An exhibiton by the International Physicians for the
Prevention of Nuclear War, Physicians in Social Responsibility e. V. (IPPNW)
66-70 Union Square, #204 Somerville, MA 02143 USA
ippnwbos@ippnw.org | www.ippnw.org
Legally responsible for content: Dr. Alex Rosen